MCR Gazette / Michaelmas Week 3

Hope you enjoyed/are still enjoying the one extra hour of sleep from the Daylight Saving Time 🙂

As the Termly General Meeting and the Husting for our Michaelmas elections are approaching, please do get in touch with Sonke (sh767) or myself (yg302) if there are items you would like to add to the TGM agenda or if you would like to run for a position. Both events are taking place on the 3rd of November. Please watch out for an email in the next a couple days for more details.

Also Rebecca is on leave until the 2nd of November. Hope we will all be able to survive until then!

College/MCR Events

[31/Oct/2015] Hallowe’en Party @ MCR, 8-10 pm

University/Society Events

[26 & 28/Oct/2015] Auditions for ‘Iolanthe’

Auditions for the CUG&S Society’s production of ‘Iolanthe’ will be taking place next week. The show will be at West Road Concert Hall from 3rd to 6th February. It is the society’s largest Cambridge production of the year at one of the largest student venues in Cambridge. The show centres around the conflict between a bunch of mischievous fairies and a troupe of Lords as they attempt to woo the beautiful Phyllis. She, however, is already in love with the half-man, half-fairy, Strephon and when the pompous lords break up the couple the fairies vow revenge.

Auditions will last 10 minutes and we would like you to prepare a solo song in a similar style to Gilbert and Sullivan. An accompanist will be provided, as will vocal scores of all the G&S operettas. There will also be extracts of dialogue available on the door which you will be asked to prepare. All auditions will be held in the Selwyn College Choir Vestry at the following times:

[27/Oct/2015] The most good you can do: Q&A with Peter Singer

It’s a natural impulse to be altruistic to others, especially if you’re lucky enough to live without want. But, asks philosopher Peter Singer, what’s the most effective way to give? In his TED Talk, he works through some surprising thought experiments to help you balance emotion and practicality — and make the biggest impact with whatever you can share. We’ll start by showing his TED video (10 minutes), then open to live Q&A over Skype for 50 minutes.

Peter Singer may be, as The New Yorker calls him, the planet’s “most influential living philosopher.” The Australian academic specializes in applied ethics, to which he takes a secular, utilitarian approach — minimize suffering, maximize well-being. He gained recognition in the 1970s with his groundbreaking book Animal Liberation: A New Ethics for Our Treatment of Animals, which questions society’s tendency to put human needs above those of members of other species. And he draws fire from critics who object to his fascinating argument in favor of an obligation to help the global poor that sets the bar so high that it means we are almost all living unethically. His defense of euthanasia and infanticide, in some circumstances, has led to protests against his lectures and to teaching position at Princeton.

But Singer’s collective body of work is more acclaimed than controversial. He has written the classic text Practical Ethics and many other books, with more in progress. He lectures at Princeton, where he is professor of bioethics, and the University of Melbourne, where he is a laureate professor. You can find dozens of brief, brilliant essays at Project Syndicate, where Singer examines the philosophical questions surrounding current topics like Obamacare, computer piracy and obesity.

What others say:
“Singer’s work is challenging, not because his writing is difficult to understand but because it is all too clear. He … has a knack for pushing people out of their moral comfort zone.” — Scientific American, 10/22/12

[29/Oct/2015] Tackling the world’s hardest problems

Andrew Mace joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in October 2014, and leads the foundation’s relations with the British Government and other UK institutions. Before joining the Foundation, Andrew worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where he worked particularly on policy towards countries affected by conflict, the United Nations, and the European Union. He served overseas in the UK Representation to the EU and at the British Embassies in Denmark and Liberia. From 2008-11 he was based in Phnom Penh as British Ambassador to Cambodia. Andrew graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Andrew Mace will be back in Cambridge at Gonville and Caius College on the 29th of October to discuss his career and explain a little more about the idea of targeting the world’s toughest problems and how to identify them. Andrew will be discussing his current work as UK Government Relations Officer for the Gates Foundation and explaining how governments and philanthropists can work together to tackle the world’s hardest problems.

Andrew Mace’s talk will be followed by a reception with drinks and snacks.

[1/Nov/2015] SPEAKEASY – POETRY NIGHT

Following our last sold-out extravaganza, Speakeasy is BACK at the ADC Bar on Sunday November 1st, with brilliant feature poets (including the wonderful Amber-page Moss) and the return of the open slam!

Anyone can sign up to read 3 minutes of their own poetry in the slam, and compete to win honour, glory, and a performance slot at a future Speakeasy!

If you usually love poetry, if you usually hate poetry, if you’ve never heard of performance poetry or spoken word before but fancy giving it a go (/being entertained while having a drink in the ADC Bar), come along! Have a drink, have a listen, if you want to perform get up and speak – it’s easy!

If you want to perform in the slam, just get in touch via the Facebook event, or email Paul Tait (pt361)!

[3/Nov/2015] Cambridge Migration Research Forum Event

• Do you have research interests in migration?
• Would you like to talk to fellow postgraduates and post-doctorates working on migration-related issues?
• Are you interested in event organising?

Then come and find out more about the research and activities of the Cambridge Migration Research Forum (CAMMIGRES)!

Please join us for, ‘Introducing CAMMIGRES: An Event for New Graduates,’ which is being held at 5pm on Tuesday 3rd November, B3 Institute of Criminology, Sidgwick Site to hear from current members followed by discussion and drinks/light refreshments.

We would really like to open up the Forum to new members working on areas relevant to migration who are new to the university or existing graduates/postdoctorates who may not have heard of CAMMIGRES Forum and would like to join. In particular, we would like to find people who are interested in being part of the organising group to help with future activities.

Paid/Volunteering Opportunities

[ASAP] Two paid psychology/neuroscience experiments

We are researchers at the MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, and are looking for individuals experiencing low (depressed) mood to participate in a study examining concentration and response to pictures and words. The study takes 2 to 2.5 hours, involving two computer tasks and some paper-based questionnaires.

We are looking for native-level English speakers with no history of neurological disorders or learning disorders, and those who are not currently receiving any treatment for a mental health condition.

We are a researchers from the MRC Cognition and Brain Science Unit and we are looking for participants (aged 18 – 40) who have had experiences typical of Bipolar Disorder (mood swings, low mood etc.) for a neuroimaging study. The study (ethics ref. number 15/EE/0199) is called ‘Visions’ and investigates how imagining future events impacts on mood and anxiety. Participants are reimbursed for their time and travel.

Please also find attached the study poster for your notice boards and for further information.

[26/Oct/2015] Data Science Fellowship Opportunity

If you’re wondering whether the academic path is right for you, but cannot imagine wasting the technical skills you’ve developed, you might want to consider a career in data science, ‘the sexiest job of the 21st century’ according to Harvard Business School.

Data science is the set of skills and techniques necessary to find, store, process and draw insights from the vast quantities of data now available.

In your PhD, you receive an amazing training in 90% of the skills required to be a data scientist – things like collecting and interpreting data, testing hypotheses and communicating results. All that’s needed is for you to excel in an exciting new career is to acquire the remaining 10% – the industry specific skills. This is where the ASI Fellowship helps.

The ASI offer an 8-week full-time Fellowship based in London, developed in collaboration with industry, specifically aimed at helping PhD students and Post-docs in science, maths and engineering transition to a career in data science. The Fellowship is free of charge.

The next ASI Fellowship starts on 11th January 2016. Applications are open until Monday 26th October. Apply at: www.theasi.co/fellowship

1ST NOVEMBER 2015 _to receive a full-time consultant offer in December 2015
13TH DECEMBER 2015 _to receive a full-time consultant offer in February 2016
17TH JANUARY 2016 _for Summer Internships

[6/Nov/2015] Innovation Forum is recruiting: great opportunities for you to enhance your career prospects in biotech and engineering!

Are you interested in cutting-edge life sciences, pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, engineering, renewable energy and smart cities? Do you have a passion for innovation and enterprise? Are you looking for:

And now: We are now doing the same for 2016! First flagship speakers to be announced very soon! We are recruiting for the following positions:

• Conference Programme Director – together with the Speakers Director, designing the programme for both days, deciding what speakers to bring, who to contact, etc. They will work closely with our other international branches.
• Speakers Director – actively engaging with our high-profile speakers, and liaising with all our speakers, providing logistics, accommodation, etc.
• Sponsorship Director – actively engaging with the big industries based in Cambridge, London and Oxford, and bringing great sponsorship to our organization.
• Business Idea Competition Director – Designing the Business Idea competition which will be held in Cambridge, prior to the ILC16.
• Graphic Design Director – designing fliers, posters, etc.
• Cambridge Events Director – Run great evening events within Cambridge, invite speakers from the Cambridge area, and grow a great network within the Cambridge environment.

The majority of Innovation Forum committee members are PhD students and postdocs. To ensure efficient time management and teamwork, positions are split between two people so you are a valuable part of the team without compromising your own work. The key to the success of the Innovation Forum is that we work as an excellent team and we all have impact on finalising important decisions.

If you feel like we are not advertising a position suitable for you but you have an idea how to contribute to Innovation Forum feel free to be proactive and let us know. We are always looking for creative and motivated team members.

If you would like to join our team, please send us your CV and a maximum 100 words motivation paragraph explaining why would you like to be part of the Innovation Forum team to recruitment@inno-forum.org.

[20/Nov/2015] APPLY NOW: EPAFRICA SUMMER PROJECT 2016

Successful applicants will work in teams of two or three in partnership with rural secondary schools in Kenya and Uganda. Our volunteers don’t teach, because we don’t believe that this has a long-term impact. Instead, each team works in partnership with these schools to make a long-term, sustainable impact through the investment of £1,800 in durable educational resources and the creation of sustainable health, sanitation, careers and gender equality programmes.

EPAfrica has a system of rolling applications, so apply early to avoid disappointment!
Final deadline: 20th November.

Others

[25/Oct/2015] Buy or sell at Clothes Market /Thrift shop

On Sunday 25th at 3:30 to 6:30 pm in Newnham there will be a Thrift Market. Anyone from any college can either to sign up to sell items or come drop in and buy something. Come along and get a bargain to reinvigorate your wardrobe as well as helping the planet!

You will find tops, jackets, dresses, handbags, shoes, jewellery… Anything! There will be both men’s and women’s clothes of all styles and sizes.

We will provide tables and rails but please bring some hangers if you have a lot of stuff.

[28-29/Nov/2015] Cambridge Literary Festival

Cambridge Literary Festival’s winter edition is fast approaching and we have invited some of Britain’s best-loved novelists, poets, politicians, historians and journalists for a packed weekend of engaging events and would love to welcome even more students to join us. TO HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN WE HAVE CAPPED OUR TICKET PRICES AT £6.

WHY NOT SIGN UP TO BECOME A STUDENT FRIEND OF THE FESTIVAL FOR £10 AND GET 2 FREE TICKETS PER FESTIVAL (RRP £24)?

[Ongoing] Student Representative in Patient Group at the Huntingdon Road & Girton Surgeries

We are an independent group of patients, with an annually-elected committee, set up four years ago by the practice, with a mission to represent patients’ views to the practice, to suggest and sometimes implement changes, and to conduct and analyse occasional surveys. In short, we are a ‘critical friend’.

Currently, students are seriously under-represented in our membership: we understand that attending the occasional evening meeting at the surgery is a low priority when you have a nine am tutorial the next day, and so this year we’re encouraging students to sign up as – effectively – ‘virtual’ members.

This will enable us to provide updates by email on developments at the local surgery, at the regional level where massive changes are taking place, and nationally (through our affiliation to the National Association of Patient Participation Groups and its close link with the Royal Society of General Practitioners).

We need – and would very much value – your input. You can sign up either by down-loading and completing a membership form (on the practice’s website, under ‘Patient Group’) or – much more conveniently – by simply sending your name and email on the ‘Contact us’, a confidential link via the same link. No subscriptions, of course.

Do write to us at any time about your experience of the patient experience – reception, waiting room, access to information, consultations etc. This will be treated in total confidence, and will be acknowledged.

A final thought: medics may find membership particularly relevant, if they are considering general practice, since all practices are being required to set up patient groups, with effect from April of this year.

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The Churchill MCR Gazette exists for the purpose of publicizing events to students. The MCR does not back any particular set of political or religious beliefs or lifestyle. Inclusion of events in the Gazette does not imply endorsement by the Churchill MCR.